Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Ronnie Dayan, alleged bagman and former driver-bodyguard of Sen. Leila de Lima, is back in his hometown in Pangasinan Tuesday after the Senate lifted its contempt ruling against him.
The committee on public order and dangerous drugs cited Dayan for contempt Monday after allegedly telling lies during a hearing on the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa.
Dayan was ordered to stay within Senate premises.
Read: Dayan held in contempt by House committee
After spending the night there, senators let Dayan go – so he can jog his memory and remember facts for the next hearing.
“Sabi niya meron daw siyang gustong sabihin pero hindi malinaw sa mind niya masyado [Dayan said he wants to say something but his mind is not so clear yet],” Senate committee chair Panfilo Lacson said.
“We advised him to compose himself, parang i-rest muna yung mind niya para nang sa ganun maalala niya yung dapat maalala [so he can remember details]. I think that’s the proper approach para ma-reboot yung kanyang memory [to reboot his memory],” Lacson said.
Read: Senators doubtful of Dayan, Kerwin’s statements
Dayan had a private meeting with Lacson, and senators Manny Pacquiao, Vicente Sotto, and Gringo Honasan Monday night, Lacson said.
Lacson hopes the committee can find time to resume the probe before Christmas break.
Inconsistent Dayan
During Monday’s hearing, Dayan was in a faceoff with Espinosa’s son, Kerwin – a self-confessed drug dealer. They caught the ire of senators after their testimonies ran counter to each other.
Senators grilled Dayan for retracting some of his previous statements. He first said he did not have Kerwin Espinosa’s number, but admitted later on it was given to him by De Lima when she ordered him to get millions of pesos for her senatorial campaign.
Read: Dayan: I got money from Kerwin for De Lima
Dayan also said Espinosa met with him and De Lima in 2014, as seen in a photo which first circulated on social media. But after being shown a 2015 Facebook post showing De Lima in Baguio City in the same black outfit she wore in her photo with Espinosa, Dayan finally agreed the meeting was in 2015.
Dayan repeatedly said he could not remember details clearly.
But Pacquiao moved to cite him for contempt, while Sotto filed an amended motion for him to be detained at Building 14 of Bilibid’s maximum security compound, where high-profile drug convicts are held.
Dayan, who appeared tense at the hearing, at one point had to take a five-minute break to get his blood pressure checked.
Dayan was arrested in La Union on November 22, after skipping hearings at the House of Representatives despite a summon. He admitted he went into hiding upon De Lima’s advice.
He testified at the House probe on the Bilibid drug trade two days after, but was invited to witness at the Senate again after lawmakers noted inconsistencies and discrepancies in his and Espinosa’s testimonies.
CNN Philippines’ Cecille Lardizabal and Eimor P. Santos contributed to this report
